Method of making shoes



Nov. 3, 1936. L. J. BAzzoNl METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Sept. 20, 1935 10 Z 2 7( 11 \Y\'/I y L12 J0 Z6 NVE/v TDR' (i l'llv, WU

Patented Nov. 3, 15936 UNlTED STATES PATENT oFFlcE METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Application September 20, 1933, Serial No. 690,218

38 Claims.

This invention relates to shoes and to the manufacture thereof and is illustrated herein with reference to an improved method of producing shoes having close fitting sole margins.

In many types of shoes it is desirable to have the sole margins in the shank portion of the shoe lit tightly against the shoe upper so as substantially to close up the space or crease which would otherwise exist between the upper and sole margins at this portion of the shoe. A close shank not only adds greatly to the appearance of the shoe but also assists in properly supporting the foot at the instep portion. This close shank effect is especially difficult to obtain in welt work because the sole margins at the shank portion of the shoe are raised so far away from the shoe upper by the table of the outsole stitching machine during the sole attaching operation that these margins have a tendency to return to this raised position even after a leveling operation has been performed on the sole to conform it to the shape of the shoe bottom. Close tting sole margins have heretofore been obtained by reducing or weakening the resistance of the material in the shank portion of the sole to widthvvise stretching so that this portion of the sole may be more easily stretched Widthwise of the shoe bottom during the leveling operation and thereby cause the sole margins to lie permanently in close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method of manufacturing shoes having close fitting Shanks, to provide soles better adapted for use in such shoes, and to provide an improved method of making such soles.

As illustrated herein and in accordance with one aspect of the invention, material at and adjacent to the tread surface at the shank portion of the sole is displaced transversely or Widthwise relatively to material at the attaching surface of the sole While the shape of the attaching surface is maintained substantially unchanged. The material, as herein illustrated, is preferably displaced widthwise of the sole by presser plates or slides mounted on a support or base and having inner work-engaging edges which conform to the contour of the shank portion of a sole located tread side down on the base. The Work-engaging edges of the plates are formed in such a manner that the material at the shank portion of the sole will be engaged rst near its outer or tread surface, the pressure diminishing progressively as the edges of the plates come into engagement with the material adjacent to the inner or attaching surface of the sole. The sole isheld rigidly between the base plate and a clamping plate during the displacing operation, the base plate preferably, and as illustrated herein, being provided with a longitudinal recess or groove to receive the displaced material so that a bunch or ridge will be formed lengthwise of the shank portion of the sole.

After the material of the sole has been displaced in the manner described, the sole is permanently attached, for example, by cement or stitches, to the bottom of a shoe on a last and a sole conforming or leveling operation is performed thereon to press the sole margins in the shank portion of the shoe into close fitting rela tion to the shoe upper. The leveling operation is usually performed with the aid of a large concave roll which engages the greater portion of the outer or tread surface of the sole and presses it against the shoe bottom with sufficient force to cause the sole margins to be bent intoY close fitting engagement with the shoe upper. As pressure is applied, for example, by a leveling roll, to the displaced material at the shank portion of the sole it tends to restore the sole to its original condition and, by flattening out the ridge referred to, causes the tread portion of the sole to widen or expand relatively to the attaching surface, thereby forcing the displaced material back toward its original position relatively to the attaching surface of the sole. The result of such action is to eliminate any tendency of the material in the outer part of the sole to contract after the leveling operation has been performed and thus to cause the sole margins to separate from their close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

It will be noted from the above that as the displaced material is pressed or leveled back to- Ward its original condition there is little or no widthwise expansion of the inner or attaching surface of the sole. Consequently, if the outsole has been attached to the shoe bottom by cement, there will be no tendency to weaken the cement bond between the sole and the shoe bottom by the Widening of the attaching surface of the sole While the cement is setting. If a Welt shoe which has its outsole attached to the Welt by stitches is being operated upon, the leveling operation will tend to straighten the sole attaching stitches into positions which are more nearly perpendicular to the outer face of the sole and thereby relieve any tension or strain on the sole margins which would tend to pull them away from the shoe upper. 4

Another way of preparing a sole in order to obtain close fitting sole margins in the shank CFI portion of the finished shoe, in accordance with a further aspect of the invention, consists in first beveling the opposite lateral edges of the sole at the shank portion in such a manner that the outer or tread surface of the sole is made considerably wider than the attaching surface thereof. These beveled edges are then subjected to inwardly directed pressure by presser plates similar to those described above except that their work-engaging edges are not beveled or inclined but are positioned substantially at right angles to the surfaces adjacent to said edges. The pressure applied by these presser plates to the shank portion of the sole compresses the material in the tread portion inwardly until the beveled edges at the shank portion are positioned substantially at right angles to the tread surface of the sole. When the sole is treated in the manner just described the clamping plates, which hold the sole during the compressing operation, may be perfectly smooth or the plate which is adjacent to the tread surface of the sole may, if desired, have a longitudinal groove or recess formed therein to receive the displaced material. If both plates are smooth the pressure on the edge faces of the sole will, of course, compress or condense the material in the outer portion of the sole transversely of the sole rather than displace this material as is the case where a groove is provided to receive the material.

In still another aspect, the invention provides, as an article of manufacture, a shoe sole having the material adjacent to the tread surface of its shank portion displaced or compressed widthwise of the sole and material at the inner or attaching surface of such portion maintained in a substantially unchanged condition. A sole thus prepared may be pressed or leveled against the shank portion of a transversely convex shoe bottom to bring the marginal portions of the sole into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe upper without causing undue stresses or strains to be exerted on the stitches if the shoe is a Welt shoe, and without danger of weakening the cement bond between the outsole and the shoe bottom if the outsole is attached to the shoe by cement.

The above and other aspects of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a plan view of the device used herein for displacing material in the shank portion of a sole, the upper portion of the device being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device with its lower portion shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View similar to the section in Fig. 2 showing the presser plates operating upon the sole;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View on an enlarged scale of the shank portion of a welt shoe showing a leveling roll operating on the sole;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the shoe after the leveling operation has been performed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of a shoe the outsole of which has been attached by cement after a leveling operation has been performed thereon; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional View of a sole having beveled edges at its shank portion which are to be pressed inwardly by presser plates the inner edges of which are substantially Vertical, the base plate in this figure having no recess to permit material to be displaced at the central portion of the sole.

In carrying out the steps of the present method of making shoes there is provided a device for operating on the shank portions of outsoles which, as illustrated herein, comprises a C-Shaped frame provided with a substantially rectangular base plate I0, supported by legs I2 and arranged to be mounted, for example, by screws, on a work bench or table. Projecting upwardly from the corners of the upper surface of the base plate are two pairs of rectangular lugs I4 and I6 (Fig. l) which are a little less in height than the thickness of the sole to be operated upon. The lugs I6 at one side of the base plate have their inner adjacent edges diverging from top to bottom to form the side walls of a guideway in which is slidably mounted a presser member or plate I8, the inclined side walls retaining the plate in the guideway. The lugs I4 at the opposite side of the upper surface of the base plate also have diverging inner and opposite edge faces which form a guideway for a similar presser plate 2B, these plates being a little less in thickness than the heights of the lugs I4. The edge faces of the presser plates I8 and 20 which are nearer the center of the base plate I0, indicated respectively by the numerals 2| and 23 in Figs. l and 2, are inclined or beveled at an angle of substantially 45 to the lower surfaces of the plates. These beveled inner edges 2| and 23, as seen in plan view (Fig. l), are shaped to conform to the contour of the shank portion of either a right or a left sole, depending upon which sole is to be operated upon, and the plates are sufficient in width to extend from about the heel breast line of the sole to a point just rearwardly of the ball line.

The outer portions of the presser plates I8 and 20 extend out of the guideways and beyond the edges of the base plate and are provided respectively at their outer ends with outwardly projecting ears 22 and 24. Fixedly mounted in the ears 22 and 24 are downwardly projecting studs 26, 28 having vertical openings therein which are threaded to receive the headed screws 30 and 32 which provide pivotal mountings for the outer ends of a pair of substantially horizontal links 34 and 36. 36 are pivotally connected by means of stud screws 38 and 40 to a `disk-shaped member 42 formed on the inner end of an arm 44 which is pivotally secured to the under side of the base plate I0 by a stud screw 46 threaded into the plate. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the inner ends of the horizontal links 34, 36 are connected to the diskshaped member 42 at diametrically opposite sides of its pivot 46 so that movement of the arm 44 to rotate the member 42 about its pivot will cause the horizontal links to move equal amounts in opposite directions, thereby moving the presser plates in a similar manner in their guideways on the base plate I0. The central portion of the base plate preferably has formed therein a recess or depression 48 which is arranged to lie longitudinally and centrally of the shank portion of a sole resting on the base plate. As shown in Fig. 1, the opposite ends of the depression 48 will extend somewhat beyond the heel breast line and the ball line of the sole.

At the left-hand side of the base plate, as viewed in Fig. l, is a laterally extending wall or web 5D which is supported by a leg 5I and supports a hollow substantially rectangular column The inner ends of the links 34 and i 52 which projects upwardly for some distance above the base plate and then extends forwardly over the central portion thereof to form the upper part of the C-shaped frame, the forwardly extending portion of the column being shown only in Fig. 2. At its forward end the column-52 is provided with a substantially vertical surface 53 and the lower portion of this surface projects forwardly at opposite sides to form a pair of side walls 54 and 55. Mounted for reciprocative movement between these side walls is the shank portion 58 of a relatively heavy holddown or clamping plate 58 the bottom area of which is approximately equal to the area of the base plate l0, the shank portion 58 of this clamping member being retained in position between the side walls 54 and 58 by means of a cover plate 62 secured by screws 54 and 65 to the outer edges of the side walls. A lower or work-engaging surface 6l of the clamping plate is arranged to engage a sole resting on the base plate to hold the sole rigidly in position during the operation of the presser plates.

At the upper end of the shank 58 of the clamping plate 68 is a vertical ear 68 which has threaded horizontally therein a screw l5 the inner portion of which is reduced in diameter and extends beyond the ear into a cam slot l2 formed in a vertically disposed cam disk 14 which is pivotally secured by a screw 'l5 tothe upper portion of the vertical surface 53 on the forwardly extending portion of the Column 52. The cam slot 'I2 is positioned so that the screw lll will be moved up and down as the cam disk 'I4 is rotated about its pivot 'I6 and the cam disk is provided with a handle 18 by which it may be rotated about the pivot 18 to raise or lower the clamping plate @il relatively to the base plate, the friction between the vertical surface 53 and the adjacent surface of the cam disk preventing the latter from rotating until it is moved by the operator.

The wall of the upwardly extending column 52 which is adjacent to the base plate ID is provided with a horizontal opening into which is threaded an adjustable positioning screw 88 (Fig. 1) having a head 82 for engagement with the heel end of a sole toposition the latter longitudinally of the base plate. A lock nut 84 is provided for securing the screw 8l] in adjusted position.

An outsole A, preferably of leather or a composition thereof, is placed on the base plate I5 of the device with the flesh or attaching surface of the outsole facing upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The outsole A which, as illustrated, is a right outsole, is located with its heel end engaging the head 82 of the screw 80 thereby positioning the sole longitudinally relatively to the presser plates I8 and 28. The operator then swings the handle 18 of the vertical cam disk 'I4 to move the holddown or clamping plate El! downwardly until its work-engaging surface 6l presses forcibly against the sole to clamp the latter rrnly against the base plate I0. The handle `44 of the horizontal disk 42 is then rotated forwardly or in a` clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the presser plates I8 and 2i) inwardly toward the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of the sole. As the presser members move inwardly their beveled work-engaging surfaces 2l and 23 come into engagement rst with those portions of the edge faces` of the sole v which are nearer its tread or grain surface and tinued movement of the presser plates displaces the material in the shank portion of the sole widthwise and forces some of it into the depression 48 in the base plate I0, as shown in Fig. 3. The operator rotates the handle 44 until the beveled edges of the presser plates are engaging the full thickness of the sole and the material in the shank portion of the sole has been displaced suciently to ll the depression 48 in the base plate, thus forming a bulge or ridge on the tread surface which extends lengthwise of the shank portion of the sole, the edges of th-e sole now conforming in shape to the inner edges of the presser plates. After a brief interval the operator returns the handles to their initial positions to withdraw the presser plates and raise the clamping member away from the sole so that the latter can be removed from the device.

A shoe upper 85 (Fig. 4) is now assembled with a ribbed insole 35 upon a last 95 having a transversely convex bottom and the upper and a welt 92 are secured in the usual manner to the rib of the insole by stitches 94. The customary trimming operations are performed, a shank piece @ii is positioned on the exposed surface of the insole, and bottom filling material'SB is applied to the shoe bottom. The outsole A is then coated on its attaching surface with suitable adhesive and is laid on the shoe bottom and stitched to the welt 92 by outseam stitches I5El. As shown in Fig. 4, the marginal portions of the outsole at the shank portion of the shoe are at this time spaced considerable distances from adjacent portions of the upper 85, these marginal portions having been raised from the upper together with the welt by the introduction of the table of the outsolev stitching machine into the welt crease during the sole attaching operation.

The next step in the method consists in conforming or leveling the shank portion of the outsole A to the shape of the shoe bottom so that the marginal portions of the sole will be forced into close fitting relation to the upper 8S and thereby close up the space between the upper and the sole margins. Accordingly, the shoe is now subjected to a sole leveling operation, the leveling being performed by a leveling roll l5?. adapted to press the sole into conformity with the shoe bottom. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the roll |82 will engage the bulge or ridge which has been formed longitudinally of the shank portion of the sole and force this material back toward its original position relatively to the attaching surface of the sole. 'Ihe leveling roll is arranged to tip during the leveling operation about a horizontal axis positioned longitudinally of the shoe. It will be seen, therefore, that as the roll rn'oves back and forth across the shoe bottom the displaced material in the center of the shank portion of the sole will he depressed or flattened to expand the tread surface of the sole relatively to its inner or attaching surface as the marginal portions of the sole are forced into close fitting engagement with the shoe upper. Since the attaching surface of the sole was not altered during the previous operations on the sole this portion will not be affected by the action of the leveling roll. Consequently, there will be no tendency for the attaching surface of the sole to expand or widen during the leveling operation and thus to put a strain on the opposite ribs of the insole or on the stitches which secure the upper and welt to the insole. The widening of the material at the tread portion of the sole will, however, tend to straighten the outseam stitches which secure the sole to the Welt and to bring these stitches into positions which are more nearly perpendicular to the outer face of the sole, as shown in Fig. 5, thus relieving any tensions or stresses which may have been set up in the sole When it was stitched to the welt. This expansion of the outer portion of the sole will also permit the sole margins to be bent into close fitting relation to the shoe upper without causing lateral strains to be set up in the material at the outer portion of the sole which would tend to cause the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the shoe upper.

An outsole prepared in the manner described above may, if desired, be applied to a cement lasted shoe and permanently attached thereto by means of cement, as shown in Fig. 6. l'n making this type of shoe an upper Hifi and an insole H36 are assembled on a last |08 having a transversely convex bottom and the upper is worked o-ver the edges of the insole and temporarily secured in lasted position by tacks or staples in any usual manner While the cement between the marginal portions of the upper and insole is setting. A shank piece HEB is then positioned on the insole and, if necessary or desirable, the space between the inner' edges of the over-lasted marginsof the upper may be lilled with filling material H2, as indicated in Fig. 6. The overlasted margins of the upper |04 are then scoured or roughened to provide a surface suite able to receive cement, and cement such, for example, as pyroxylin cement, is applied to the roughened portions of the upper and to the marginal portions of the inner or attaching face of an outsole B, this outsole, as shown, having its marginal portions somewhat reduced in thickness on the flesh side as is usual in this type of work after the material in its shank portion has been displaced inwardly of the edges of the outsole in the manner already described, the reducing operation having little or no eect upon the cornpressed material at the outer or tread side of the sole. The cement on the shoe and sole is activated by a solvent and the outsole is positioned on the shoe bottom after which pressure is applied to press the sole forcibly against the shoe bottom while the cement is setting.

in cement attaching soles to shoes the sole attaching pressure itself usually is sufficient to wrap the sole closely around the shoe bottom and to force the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper. This pressure will also tend to flatten out the bulge or ridge in the central portion of the sole and to expand the displaced material in the tread portion relatively to the material in the inner portion of the sole, thereby reducing the tendency of the sole to return toward its original flat condition and relieving the strain on the sole attaching cement. In cases Where it is desirable further to shape the shoe bottom the shank portion of the sole be leveled by a leveling roll as described above. Since the attaching surface of the sole, as stated, will not expand or stretch any appreciable amount widthwise of the shoe during the solo pressing operation, there is no danger of weakening the cement bond between the outsole and the shoe bottom. The restoring of the displaced material adjacent to thel tread surface of the sole toward its original condition eliminates any lateral stresses or tensions in this material which would tend subsequently to pull the sole margins away from their close tting relation to the shoe upper. in both the Welt shoe and the cement shoe, therefore, the material at the outer portion of the sole is pressed back toward its original position relatively to the material at the inner portion of the sole instead of being stretched Widthwise of the sole as the sole margins are brought into close tting relation to the upper. Consequently, there will be no tendency thereafter for the outer material of the sole to contract and pull the sole margins away from the upper. In other words, whatever stresses or strains were set up in the shank portion of the sole during the displacing operation will have been eliminate-d so that the sole will tend to remain permanently in the position it assumes after the sole margins have been pressed into close fitting relation to the upper.

Fig. '7 illustrates a modification of the present method of treating soles which consists in first beve-ling the opposite edge faces of an outsole A at the shank portion in such a manner that the grain or tread surface of the sole is left considerably Wider than the shoe-engaging surface thereof. The sole is then located, grain side down, on the base plate Ill' of a device for operating upon soles similar to that described above except that its base plate i2 has no longitudinal groove formed therein centrally of the shank portion of the sole. A holddown or clamping member Gil is arranged to clamp the sole firmly against the base plate and presser members or plates i8 and 2li', having inner edges which conform to the shape of the shank portion of the sole being operated on, are provided for acting upon the opposite lateral edge of the sole.

The inner edges of the presser plates I8 and 2t', as shown in Fig. 7, are not inclined or beveled at an angle as in the device described above but are located normally or at right angles to the upper and lower surfaces of the plates, these edges being indicated respectively by the numerals 2l and 23. When the presser plates are moved inwardly toward the opposite late-ral edges of the sole they engage these edges first near the tread surface of the sole and force the material adjacent to this surface inwardly. Since there is no depression in the base plate I into which the material at the tread surface of the sole can be displaced, this material will be compressed as the plates move inwardly to engage the full thickness of the sole. The presser plates will compress the material at and adjacent to the tread surface of the sole until it is substantially the same width as the material at the attaching surface of the sole without causing any substantial compression of the material adjacent to the attaching surface, thereby straightening the edges of the sole until they are substantially parallel to each other and at right angles to the tread surface of the sole.

The sole is now laid on a shoe bottom in the usual manner and attached to the shoe by either cement or stitches and the sole leveling operation is performed as previously described. The leveling roll will exert pressure against the outer or tread surface of the sole sufficient to expand the compressed material and to cause it to Widen transversely of the shank portion of the sole to substantially its original width Without any appreciable expansion of the material nearer the attaching surface of the sole. As the sole margins are forced into close tting relation to the shoe upper, the compressed material in the tread portion of the sole Will widen or expand relatively to the material adjacent to the attaching surface to relieve the stresses in the outer material and thus permit the sole margins to remain permanently against the upper. It will be seen, therefore, that when the material adjacent to the tread surface of the sole is compressed the results are similar to those obtained when this material is displaced relatively to the attaching surface of the sole, since the permanent close fitting relation of the sole margins to the shoe upper is obtained through the widening of the material adjacent to the tread surface of the sole while the danger of putting undue stresses or strains on the sole attaching stitches or the cement by a corresponding expansion of the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole is eliminated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing the material at the outer portion of a sole transversely toward the center line of the sole While maintaining the material at the inner portion of the sole in substantially its original condition widthwise, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper thereby forcing the displaced material back toward its original position to maintain said marginal portions in such relation to the upper.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing material in the outer portion of a sole widthwise Without any appreciable displacement of the material at the inner portion of the sole, securing the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and leveling the sole to press its marginal portions into close fitting relation to the shoe upper and to force the displaced material back toward its initial position to hold said marginal portions permanently in such relation to the upper.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing material in the shank portion of a substantially fiat sole inwardly from the edge faces of the sole by pressure which diminishes progressively heightwise of the sole while maintaining the sole in its original plane widthwise, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and leveling the sole to the shape of the shoe bottom thereby forcing the displaced material in the shank portion of the sole back toward its original position to maintain the sole permanently in such shape.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing the material of the outer portion of aV sole transversely toward the center line of the sole without effecting a similar displacement of the material of the inner portion of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper thereby forcing the displaced material back toward its initial position to hold said marginal portions permanently in such relation to the upper.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in compressing material of the outer portion only of a sole widthwise, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper thereby expanding the compressed outer material of the sole toward its initial condition to maintain said marginal portions in such relation to the upper.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in compressing the outer material in the shank portion only of a sole transversely toward the center line of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and leveling the sole against the shoe bottom to press the sole margins into close fitting relation to the shoe upper and thereby simultaneously expanding the compressed cuter material in the shank portion of the sole toward its original condition to hold said margins permanently in such position.

7. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in narrowing the shank portion of a sole by displacing material at the outer portion thereof widthwise while holding the sole flat, securing the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and thereafter performing a leveling operation on the sole to press the sole margins closely against the shoe upper and to force the displaced material back toward its original relation to the inner material of the sole, thereby widening the shank portion of the sole to overcome any tendency of the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the shoe upper.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in effecting an inward edgewise displacement of the material of the tread portion of a sole without effecting a corresponding inward edgewise displacement of the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole, securing the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper, thereby tending to restore the material of the displaced portion of the sole to its normal condition.

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close tting sole margins which consists in effecting an inward edgewise displacement of the grain portion of a leather sole without effecting a corresponding inward edgewise displacement of the flesh portion of the sole, attaching the sole, grain side outermost, to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the sole margins into close fitting relation to the shoe upper and thereby tending to return the grain portion of the sole to its initial position relatively to the flesh portion to hold said margins permanently in close fitting relation to the upper.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in compressing the outer material of a sole widthwise relatively to the inner material of the sole While maintaining the sole in its original flat condition, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the sole against the shoe bottom to force the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper and to restore the compressed material to a more nearly normal condition so that said marginal portions will be maintained permanently in close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing the fibres in the tread portion of a leather sole inwardly of its edge faces without substantial displacement of the fibres adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole, permanently attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, pressing the marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the shoe upper, and simultaneously forcing the displaced bres in the tread portion of the sole toward their normal condition to hold said marginal portions permanently in close fitting relation to said upper.

12. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in displacing material in the shank portion of a sole by widthwise pressure to form a bulge longitudinally of the tread surface of the sole without changing the shape of its inner surface, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely rounded bottom, and leveling the sole against said shoe bottom to bend the sole margins into close engagement with the shoe upper, said leveling operation spreading the displaced material in the shank portion of the sole widthwise sufficiently to cause the sole margins to remain permanently in close engagement with said upper` 13. That improvement in methods of producing close fitting sole margins in shoes which consists in displacing the material adjacent to the tread surface of an outsole by inward pressure directed against opposite edges of the outsole without affecting the width of the shoe-engaging surface thereof, attaching the outsole to a shoe having a transversely curved bottom, and pressing the outsole against the shoe bottom to bring said shoe-engaging surface into close tting relation to the shoe bottom, said pressure tending to restore the displaced material adjacent to the tread surface of the outsole to its original condition thereby maintaining the outsole permanently in close fitting relation to the shoe bottom.

14. That improvement in methods of producing close fitting sole margins in shoes which consists in compressing the material in the tread portion of a sole widthwise without reducing the width of the attaching surface of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversly convex bottom, and leveling the sole against said shoe bottom to bring the sole margins into close fitting relation to the shoe upper and to expand the compressed material in the tread portion of the sole relatively to the attaching surface thereof so that the sole will remain permanently in close fitting relation to said upper.

15. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in compressing the material nearer the grain side of a leather sole widthwise without effecting a similar compression of the material nearer its flesh side, thereby narrowing the grain side of the sole while maintaining the flesh side at its original width, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and pressing the sole against said shoe bottom and bending the sole margins into close fitting relation to the shoe upper, said pressure acting to expand the compressed material adjacent to the grain side of the sole relatively to the material nearer its flesh side so that the margins of the sole will be held permanently in close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

16. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close shanks which consists in compressing the outer layer of material in the shank portion of a sole by inward pressure applied to the opposite edges thereof without similarly compressing the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe bottom which is transversely convex, and applying leveling pressure to the outer face of the sole to return the compressed outer layer of material to its original density and thereby force the margins at the shank portion of the sole into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

17. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting shanks which consists in displacing the fibres in the shank portion of a leather sole widthwise by pressure applied inwardly to opposite lateral edges thereof and diminishing from the tread surface to the attaching surface of the sole to form a bulge longitudinally of said tread surface while leaving the fibres adjacent to the attaching surface substantially unaffected, attaching the sole by stitches to a shoe the bottom of which is transversely convex, and pressing the sole against the shoe bottom thereby leveling the bulge and forcing the displaced fibres toward their former position relatively to the attaching surface of the sole so that the margins at the shank portion of the sole will be forced into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe upper.

18. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in contracting the shank portion of a sole exclusive of its attaching surface widthwise of the sole so that the material in the outer portion of the sole will expand under pressure without affecting said attaching surface, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and leveling the sole against the shoe bottom to stretch the contracted material in the outer portion of the sole toward its original width without expanding the attaching surface of the sole, thereby forcing the marginal portions of the sole into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe bottom.

19. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in compressing material in the shank portion of a sole widthwise without compressing the shoe-engaging surface of the sole, reducing the marginal portions of the sole at the shoe-engaging side of said shank portion, attaching the sole permanently to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and conforming the sole to said shoe bottom with pressure suflicient to force the reduced margins at said shank portion into close fitting relation to the shoe upper, said compressed material being thereby permanently expanded to substantially its original width while the width of the shoe-engaging surface of the sole remains unchanged, the expansion of the compressed material eliminating any tendency of the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the shoe upper.

20. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in compressing the material other than that at the attaching surface of a sole widthwise of the shank portion of the sole while maintaining said attaching surface at its original width, attaching the sole by stitches to a welt shoe the bottom of which is transversely convex, and leveling the sole against the shoe bottom by pressure sufficient to expand the compressed outer material of the sole toward its original width without expanding the attaching surface of the sole, thereby causing the sole margins to bend into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe upper without setting up lateral strains in the outer material of the sole and in the stitches which secure the sole to the welt.

2l. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close shanks which consists in beveling the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of a sole to cause said edges to diverge from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole, applying inwardly directed pressure simultaneously to said edges to force them into substantially parallel relation to each other and thereby to compress the material of the sole, other than that at the attaching surface, widthwise, attaching the sole to a shoe having a transversely convex bottom, and conforming the sole to said shoe bottom to force the lmargins at the shank portion of the sole into close tting relation to the shoe upper while substantially restoring the compressed material to its original condition, thereby expanding the material of the sole, other than that at its attaching surface, to maintain said margins permanently in such relation to the upper.

22. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in displacing the material in the shank portion of a sole exclusive of the attaching surface of the sole by pressure applied simultaneously to the opposite lateral edges of the sole.

23. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in displacing material in the shank portion of a sole by widthwise pressure applied simultaneously to both edge faces of the sole while maintaining the attaching surface of the sole at its original width.

24. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in applying inwardly directed pressure to the opposite lateral edges of a sole in amounts increasing progressively toward the tread surface of the sole and thereby displacing the material nearer the tread surface of the sole to form a bulge thereon Without correspondingly displacing the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole.

25. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in compressing material in the shank portion of a sole transversely and with no displacement of the material heightwise of the sole while maintaining the width of the attaching surface of the sole substantially unchanged.

26. That improvement in methods of treating leather soles which consists in applying inwardly directed pressure simultaneously to the opposite lateral edges of a sole in amounts increasing progressively toward the grain side of the sole and thereby displacing the bres adjacent to said grain side without correspondingly displacing the fibres adjacent to the esh side of the sole.

27. That improvement in methods of treating leather soles which consists in applying inwardly directed pressure to the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of a sole in amounts dimm-- ishing progressively from the tread surface to the attaching surface of the sole, thereby compressing the material adjacent to the tread surface of the sole to form a longitudinal bulge at the shank portion thereof without correspondingly compressing the material at the attaching surface of the sole.

28. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in applying pressure to the opposite edge faces of the shank portion of a sole, said pressure diminishing gradually from the tread surface to the attaching surface of the sole thereby displacing the material transversely of said shank portion while maintaining the attaching surface of the sole in its original condition, and clamping the sole during such pressure only at the margins thereof, thereby permitting the material at the central portion of the sole to be displaced heightwise.

29. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in simultaneously applying to the opposite edge faces of the shank portion of a leather sole pressure which diminishes progressively from the grain side to the flesh side of the sole, thereby displacing the material in the shank portion of the sole widthwise while maintaining the flesh side of said portion at its original width, and preventing the margins of the sole from being displaced heightwise of the sole during during the pressing operation by applying pressure at right angles to the surfaces of said margins.

30. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in beveling the opposite edge faces of a sole to cause said edge faces to diverge from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole, and applying pressure to said edge faces to force them into substantially parallel positions, thereby compressing the material at the tread surface of the sole without compressing the material at the attaching surface of the sole.

3l. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in beveling the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of a sole to cause said edges to slant outwardly from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole, and applying inwardly directed pressure to said edges to press them into positions substantially parallel to each other, thereby compressing the material at the tread surface of the sole without effecting a corresponding compression of the material at the attaching surface of the sole.

32. That improvement in methods of treating soles which consists in bevelng the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of a sole so that the attaching surface of the sole at said portion is narrower than the tread surface, and applying inwardly directed pressure to said edges simultaneously to force them into a substantially parallel relation to each other, thereby compressing the material adjacent to the tread surface of the sole widthwise to a greater extent than the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole.

33. As an article of manufacture, a shoe sol-e having material in its shank portion displaced inwardly of the edge faces of the sole at the margins thereof and heightwise of the sole at its l having material in its shank portion compressed transversely to narrow the tread surface of the sole while the attaching surface of the sole is maintained at its original width, the thickness of the sole being unaltered by such compression.

36. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole having the material adjacent to the grain surface in the shank portion of the sole compressed inwardly of the edge faces of the sole without displacement of the material of the sole heightwise, the material at the flesh surface of .said shank portion loeing uncompressed.

37. A shoe sole having material in the tread portion of its shank displaced Widthwise and heightwise to form a bulge at the central portion of the sole, the opposite edge faces of said shank being inclined inwardly from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole so that the periphery of said attaching surface remains 10 unchanged by such displacement.

38. A shoe sole having material in its shank portion compressed transversely toward the center line of the sole, the compression increasing progressively from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole so that the density of the material adjacent to said tread surface will be greater than the density of the material adjacent to the attaching surface, the thickness of the sole and the width of said attaching surface remaining unchanged by such compression.

LEWIS J. BAZZONI. 

